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Pit Bull Maddog

*Est. $355

Reviewed

March 2012

by ConsumerSearch

Pros

Big, bold tread design
Radial version handles well on-road

Cons

No tread-wear warranty
Noisy
Very expensive
Mixed reviews for bias-ply version
Tread gets clogged in mud
Slick on ice in one test

Our Analysis
Specs

The Pit Bull Maddog is one of the priciest off-road tires recommended in reviews, but it doesn't get uniformly good ratings. The radial version of the Maddog performs well on dry rocks and snow in one off-road test and adequately on rocks and dirt in another, although it clogs up easily in sandy mud and proves slippery on ice. Reviews for the bias-ply version are mixed. Owners say it's unbeatable in deep mud, but the bias-ply Maddog gets stuck in one expert mud test. Reviewers also say it feels too stiff on rocks and is too loud on the highway.

Experts and owners like the Maddog's chunky, distinctive tread design, but like most mud tires the Maddog offers no tread-wear warranty. Overall, experts prefer other mud tires such as the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar (*Est. $210) .

Experts at Petersen's 4Wheel & Off-Road test both the bias-ply and radial versions of the Pit Bull Maddog. Four Wheeler magazine also tests the bias-ply version, and Off-Road.com conducts a 7,000-mile test of the radial Maddog. Owners at Offroaders.com also report on the Maddog's on- and off-road performance.

Our Sources

1. Petersen's 4 Wheel & Off Road

Petersen's 4Wheel & Off-Road tests the radial version of the Pit Bull Maddog. On-road, the tires are noisy but handle well. Off-road, they're "great for all-around use."

Review: Pit Bull Maddog Mud Tires Review -- Bully Dogs, Fred Williams, Jan. 2010

2. Petersen's 4 Wheel & Off Road

The bias-ply version of the Pit Bull Maddog doesn't impress reviewers here. It's stiff on the rocks, gets stuck in the mud and howls on the highway.

Review: Pit Bull Maddog Tire Test, Fred Williams and Rick PŽwŽ, Feb. 2009

3. Off-Road.com

It's heavy and loud, but on the highway, the radial Maddog rides "as smooth and straight as any other radial tire we've ever owned," Pete Bach says. Aired down, the Maddog shines on rutted roads and sharp rocks. Deep snow proves no problem in this 7,000-mile test, but the Maddog slips on ice. Sandy mud clogs the center of the tread easily.

Review: Testing the Pit Bull Maddog Radial Mud Terrain Tire, Pete Bach, Nov. 11, 2009

4. Four Wheeler

Most bias-ply tires shine off-road but squirm and drag on the highway, reviewer Jimmy Nylund says. However, unlike the reviewers at Petersen's 4Wheel & Off-Road, he says the bias-ply Pit Bull Maddog delivers a more "smooth, comfy and quiet ride" on-road than most. He calls the Maddogs "great trail tires" but has a hard time airing them down past 6 pounds per square inch without losing a bead.

Review: Pit Bull Maddog Tire Test, Jimmy Nylund, Feb. 2009

5. Offroaders.com

The Pit Bull Maddog earns an average rating of 9 out of 10 with six owner ratings here. Two owners write short narrative reviews that praise the Maddog for never getting stuck in the deepest mud.

Review: Pit Bull Maddog Mud-Terrain Tires, Contributors to Offroaders.com

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